January 2015 articles

Dental Visits Decoded: Cleanings

Has it been awhile since your last dental visit? The new year is the perfect time to get back on track! Having a dental professional clean your teeth helps remove tartar and stains that you cant tackle on your own. If its been awhile since youve found yourself in a dental chair, heres what you can expect when you go in for a cleaning. The dentist or hygienist will use a small tool called a scaler to manually scrape any tartar and stains from your teeth. (Most people have at least some buildup.) Some dentists use ultrasonic scalers, which break up the tartar with vibrations instead.1 Tartar forms when plaque is left on teeth so long that it hardens like cement, which brushing alone cant remove. Plaque can then build up on top of the tartar, which irritates the gums and may eventually cause gum disease. Once the stains and tartar have been removed, your dentist or hygienist will use a tool that squirts water into your mouth to rinse the particles away. He or she will also use a tool to suck the excess water and debris out of your mouth. Now that your teeth are stain- and tartar-free, its time to polish them up! Your teeth will be brushed with gritty, abrasive toothpaste that makes your teeth shiny and smooth. The final step of the cleaning is a good, thorough flossing. After you visit the dentist for a cleaning, give yourself a pat on the back. Preventive care keeps your smile healthy and helps control costs by taking care of problems before they become more serious. Note: Procedure descriptions cover what is typically involved in a procedure; actual method may vary by dental office.